It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and holiday parades are being planned for areas around the region.
The Kiwanis Club of Batesville will be hosting “A Dickens of a Christmas” Christmas parade at 6 p.m on Monday, Dec. 3 on Main Street, and the civic organization is calling for entries.
Parade float entries should reflect a traditional Christmas theme, resembling the spirit of the 1843 Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol, according to a press release from the Kiwanis Club.
The line-up for the parade will be at the Town Plaza Shopping Center (located on upper Main Street across from Centennial Bank) at 4:30 p.m. Town Plaza is also the designated location for float rider drop-off with Marshall’s Dry Goods being the pick-up location.
Only one car per float is allowed parking within the Town Plaza lot. Main Street will be closed off at 5:30 to finalize the line-up.
In order for a float to be judged, it must be pre-registered before noon Nov. 28. Judging numbers will be assigned prior to the parade and may be picked up at the Information Tent (Centennial Bank parking lot) during line-up. Only those floats wishing to be judged must pre-register. Others are not required but encouraged to fill out a form.
Float winners will be announced on Dec. 4. with categories are commercial and nonprofit/civic organization.
“Due to state laws concerning horses, we are asking that all horses come to one area in the trailer and wait to have Coggins Papers verified before unloading. No horse will be allowed in the parade without verification. Safety is a top priority, so please abide by the given instructions,” organizers noted in the press release. (Coggins Papers are to test for a disease called Equine Infectious Anemia [EIA], a federally regulated disease that is deadly to horses.)
Electronic parade entry forms can be found on the Batesville Kiwanis Christmas Parade Facebook page, by contacting Landon Downing for more information at landon.downing@thecitizensbank.net, or click here.
The Cave City Kiwanis Club has announced plans for that community’s Christmas parade. “Christmas in the City with Superheroes” will unfold Friday, Dec. 7, at 6:30 p.m. The line-up for the parade will begin at 6 p.m. at Cave City High School. Participants and attendees are encouraged to dress as a favorite superhero. The parade will end at the Cave City Park with hot chocolate, popcorn, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and Christmas caroling. The rain date is Friday, Dec. 14, at 6:30 p.m. For more questions, contact Tammy Smith at (870) 805-1029.
The Newport Christmas parade has been set for Thursday, Dec. 13 with a 6 p.m. starting time.
The parade committee is now seeking floats, antique vehicles, beauty queens and horseback riders from school groups, area clubs or businesses. Plaques will be awarded for commercial and non-commercial categories. Entry is free, and participants may choose their own holiday theme.
For more information and participation forms, contact the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce and (870) 523-3618.
And organizers remind those entering that Santa Claus is already scheduled for both parades, so any group planning floats featuring an appearance by “another” Santa Claus (wink, wink) will need to adjust their plans accordingly.
Jolly Santa Claus waves to all in a previous Batesville Christmas parade.
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